Leveling machine



Dec. 71, 19248.

In ven im@ Patented ec. 7, 1948;r

LEVELING MACHINE Fred V. Hart, Lynn, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 5, 1947, Serial No. 772,271

(Cl. l2-34) .6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating on shoes and more particularly to mechanisms for shaping or leveling the bottoms f shoes. The invention is herein illustrated with reference to a iiuid-pressure-operated leveling machine of the type illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,230,244, granted February 4, 1941 in the names of Fred V. Hart and John J. Austin.

Machines of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patent are provided with a leveling roll which is held by springs during the leveling operation in engagement with the bottom of an inverted shoe. The shoe support is moved under the control of the operator by a duid-pressure motor in directions lengthwise of a shoe on the support. Upon movement of the shoe support to carry the toe end of the shoe under the leveling roll from a position forwardly thereof a fluidpressure motor is operated to lift the roll against the action of the springs, and the roll is similarly lifted by the duid-pressure motor when the support is swung forwardly to carry the toe end of the shoe out from under the roll, thereby to prevent the application of pressure to the extreme toe end of the sole of the shoe which would roll the edge of the sole upwardly and detract from the appearance of the shoe.

Pressure fluid is supplied to the motors by a pump under the control of a pressure-regulating valve which is operated automatically during movement of the shoe support into its forwardmost position, to ley-pass pressure fluid from the pump to a reservoir. Consequently with the support in its forward position the pressure of the iiuid in the roll-lifting motor drops and is unable to su-stain the roll in its elevated position against the action 0f the springs. It is therefore important that the roll ce again lifted before the support is moved rearwardly far enough to carry a shoe beneath the roll, thereby to avoid damage to the toe end of the sole of the shoe.

Heretofore this has been accomplished by operating the pressure-regulating valve during the initial rearward movement of the shoe support whereupon the pressure fluid operates the rolllifting motor to elevate the roll. Since some motion of the shoe support is required to operate the pressure-regulating valve and because of the further fact that the roll must be elevated a considerable distance to permit passage of the toe end of the shoe thereunder, it sometimes happens that an operator will cause the shoe support to be moved rearwardly at such a fast rate of speed that the toe end of the sole of the shoe Will 2 strike against the leveling roll before the roll has been elevated sufficiently by the roll-lifting motor. Also, if the shoe has been accidently located on the support with the toe end of the shoe nearer the roll than its proper position on the support the result may happen,

In order to eliminate this possibility of damaging the shoe at the beginning of the leveling operation, and in accordance with an object of the present invention, mechanism is provided for maintaining the leveling roll in its elevated position during those periods that the shoe support is located in its forward position for the removal of a shoe therefrom and the positioning thereon of another shoe the bottom of which isv to be leveled. This is accomplished in accordance with a feature of the invention by providing locking means whichV is rendered operative during the latter portion of the forward movement of the shoe support to lock the roll in its elevated position, and to maintain it in such position until the shoe support has again been moved rearwardly whereupon the locking means is released and the roll is held by fluid pressure in elevated position until the toe end of the shoe passes thereunder whereupon the roll is pressed against the shoe bottom by the springs.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the roll-locking means i-s rendered effective only after the roll has been elevated by the roll-lifting motor heretofore referred to and loe-V fore the pressure-regulating valve has operated to cut off .the supply of pressure uid to the motor. i

The above and other features of the invention,

including various details of construction and novel con'ibinations of parts will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a view in right-hand side elevation of a machine in which the invention is embodied,` parts of Athe structure being broken away and other parts being shown in section; and

Fig; 2 is a detail view on a larger scale of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. l, the

parts being in the positions assumed during the leveling operation.

As shown in Fig. l the machine includes a shoe support or jack l0 pivoted on a shaft l2 for movements lengthwise of a shoe on the support" to carry the shoe rearwardly and forwardly beneath a leveling roll I4. This roll is mounted for turning movements on a rod IS carried by Aa holder i8 which is pivotally connected at 2tol a carrier 22. The carrier is mounted for tipping movements laterally of the machine about the axis of a forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft 24 supported in bearings, one of which is indicated at 26 at the top of the machine.

The holder I8 has a rearwardly extending arm 28 connected by a short link 30 to the rearwardly extending arm 32 of a bell crank lever 34' fulcrumed at 38 to the carrier 22. The bell crank lever has downwardly extending arms 38 carrying trunnions 40 extending into a circumferential groove 42 in a bushing 44 slidably mounted on the shaft 24. Pivotally mounted on a laterally extending shaft 48 supported by suitable bearings in the frame of the machine is an upwardly extending arm 48, the upper portion of which carries trunnions 50 extending into a circumferential groove 52 in the bushing 44. Mounted on the shaft 46 is a downwardly extending yoke 5.4

to which is connected by a threaded rod 55 a yoke-shaped member 58 in which is pvoted a lever 60. This lever has oppositely extending arms of equal lengths to the ends of which are pivoted blocks 82 providing abutments for compression springs 64, 66, the latter bearing against an abutment 68 pivoted at 10 to the frame of the machine. The spring 64 at its upper end engages an abutment 'l2 pivotally connected to an arm 14 integral with the arm 48. These springs 84,

66 act to rock the arm 48 in a clockwise direction :t

moving the bushing 44 rearwardly along the shaft and urging the roll |4 downwardly to exert leveling pressure against the shoe bottom.

Provision is made for lifting the roll |4 against the action of the springs 64, 66 when the support |0 is moved to carry the toe end of the shoe forwardly of the leveling roll and whenever, during the leveling operation, it is desired to lift the roll out of contact with the shoe bottom. Integral with the arm 48 is an arm 15 connected by an adjustable link 18 to one end of a lever 80 pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 82, the opposite end of the lever carrying trunnions 84 extending into a peripheral groove formed in the upper end of a plunger 8G. This plunger projects upwardly from a piston movable vertically in a cylinder 88, as shown in detail in Patent No. 2,230,244 referred to above. Upon introduction of pressure iiuid into the lower end of the cylinder 88 the lever 80 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction, causing the leveling roll I4 to be lifted against the action of the springs 64, 86.

Introduction of pressure fluid into the cylinder 88 is controlled by a valve 90, the lower end of which is connected by a pipe 82 with a pressureregulating valve 94 arranged upon downward movement of a plunger 96 to direct fluid under pressure to the valve 90 from which it may b e delivered to the cylinder 88 when the valve 90 is properly positioned. The construction o f the valves 90, 84 is illustrated in the aforementioned patent to which reference may be had for a detailed description thereof although it is to be understood that in so far as the present invention is concerned, the valves need not be constructed precisely as shown in that patent. It will be understood that when the plunger 96 of the pressure-regulating valve 94 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 the discharge side of the pump by which pressure fluid is delivered to the various parts of the machine is by-passed to the fluid reservoir but when the plunger 96 is depressed, this by-pass is cut off and fluid at sufficiently high pressure to operate the various instrumentalities of the machine is delivered by the pump. The

valve has a stem 98 arranged so that when the stem. is in its upper position as shown in Fig. l the valve permits delivery of pressure iiuid from the valve 94 to the cylinder 88 but when the stem is depressed, the flow of pressure fluid to thc cylinder 88 is cut olf and the cylinder is allowed to exhaust. Thus it Will be understood that as soon as, the plunger 96 is depressed at the beginning of the leveling operation in a manner to be described, pressure fluid flows into the valve 90 and thence to the cylinder 88 acting to hold the leveling roll in an elevated position against the action of the springs 84, 86. Subsequently the stem 68 of the valve 80 is depressed and the cylinder 88 exhausts whereupon the leveling roll |4 is forced downward into engagement with the shoe bottom by the springs 64, 6B.

To the upper end of the plunger 96 is connected a link |00, the upper end of which is pivoted to the lower end of a depending arm |02 carried by a 1rockshaft |04 j'ournaled in the frame of` the machine. The link |00 and the arm |02 form a toggle which is straightened upon clockwise movement of the arm |02 thereby to move the plunger 9.6 downwardly operating the pressureregulating valve to. supply pressure fluid to the cylinder 88 as well as to the fluid-pressure motors for operating the jack and tipping the leveling roll as described in the aforementioned patent. The toggle |08, |02 is, straightened upon rearward movement of the shoe support to carry the shoe beneath the leveling roll by mechanism which will now be described. Secured to the rock-shaft |04 is a downwardly extending arm |06 the lower end of which is secured to a bearing for a block recessed to straddle a bushing |08 which is fast on a rod ||0 mounted for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly of the machine. Slidable on the rod H0 is a bushing ||2 urged forwardly along the rod by a spring ||4, the rearward end of which engages ay collar ||6 secured to the rod. The arrangement is such, as disclosed more fully in the Hart Patent No. 2,230,244, that upon forward movement of the rod ||0 the spring ||4 acts on the bushing l2 and the block at the lower end ofthe arm |06 to swing the toggle links |00, |02 into,v substantial parallel relation. AS the toggle links are thus swung the plunger 96 is moved downwardly operating the pressure-regulating valve 94 supplying pressure fiuid to the cylinder 88.

The` forward end of the rod ||0 is pivoted at |20 to an arm |22 secured to a rockshaft |24 carried by the frame of the machine. Also secured tothe rockshaft |24l is an upwardly extendingy arm |26 carrying, at its upper end a roll |21 engageable with a downwardly extending arm l2!!` carried by they shoe support I0. The rod ||0 carries a lock nut |30 forming an abutment for one, end ofV a coil spring |82. surrounding the rod, the other end acting against a fixed stop |34 on the machineframe. Thev spring |32 urges the rod- U0 forwardlyhold-ing the roll |21- at the upper end of the arm |26, inengagement with the E28- carried by the shoel support. Upon rearward movement off the shoe support to carry the shoe,v into operative relation to the leveling roll the arm |28. moves forwardly whereupon the spring |32 causesforward movementof the rod Mill to straighten the toggle |00', |02. Pressure -uidis accordingly applied to. the cylinder 88 to hold the levelingV roll in an elevated position against the action oi the springs 64', 66: to permit movement of the. toe end of the shoe thereunder, the. roll having been held in such position at the conclusion of a leveling operation by mechanism to be described.

At a predetermined point in the forward movement of the rod ||0, during movement of the shoe support to carry the shoe beneath the leveling roll the valve 90 is operated to cut off the flow of fluid into the cylinder 88 and to exhaust fluid therefrom, so that the roll is forced by spring pressure into engagement with the shoe bottom. This operation of the valve 90 is elected by a lever |36 connected by links |38 to the valve stem 98. The lever |36 is pivotally carried by a pin |40 and has an upwardly extending arm |42 carrying an eye bolt |44 to which is connected one end of a spring |46, the other end being connected to a pin |48 carried by the frame of the machine. The rod 0 carries an abutment |50 which acts on a downwardly extending arm |52 of the lever |36 to move the lever in a clockwise direction against the action of the spring |46 at a predetermined point in the forward movement of the rod. The abutment |50 is adjustably positioned lengthwise of the rod so that it will act to move the lever |36 at the time when the toe end of the shoe moves under the roll I4 whereupon the roll is moved by spring pressure against the shoe bottom. At any time during the leveling operation the operator, by stepping on a treadle |54, can impart rearward movement to the rod ||0 sufficient to operate the valve 90 and lift the roll. This treadle is pivoted at |56 to the base of the machine and is normally held in the up position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring |58, the upper position of the treadle being determined by a stop screw |60. Pivoted to the treadle |54 is a bar |62 having a slot |64 in its upper end arranged to receive a pin |66 carried by an arm |10 secured to the shaft |24. By depressing the treadle |54 the shaft |24 is rotated in a clockwise direction causing rearward movement of the rod ||0 and operation of the lever |36 to operate the valve 90 admitting pressure fluid into the cylinder 88 to lift the leveling roll.

With the jack in its forward position, as shown in Fig. 1, and the valve 94 positioned to by-pass pressure fluid from the discharge side of the pump to the fluid reservoir, the springs 64, 66 act to move the roll i4 downwardly. If this movement of the roll is permitted there is a danger that the toe end oi' the shoe may engage the roll |4 before the roll lifts to permit passage of the shoe thereunder. This possibility exists because of the fact that a slight time elapses after the beginning of the rearward movement of the shoe support and the operation of valve 94 with the consequent introduction of pressure uuid into the cylinder 88 to lift the leveling roll. If the operator moves the shoe support rearwardly at a high enough rate of speed the toe end of the shoe may move into Contact with the roll before the roll has been lifted out of operative relation thereto. This may also happen if the toe end of the shoe is jacked somewhat forwardly of the proper position with respect to the shoe support. In order to prevent this accidental engagement of the toe end of the shoe with the leveling roll provision is made for maintaining the leveling roll in an elevated position into which it is moved during forward movement of the shoe support into the position shown in Fig'. 1.

Carried by the arm 48 is a pin 12 which, during the leveling operation, rides in a slot |14 (Fig. 2) in an arm |16 connected by a pivot pin |18 to a link |80 which is in turn pivoted at |82 to an arm |84 extending vertically from the pivot 10.

With the parts in the positions shown in Fig. Z the slot |14 is concentric with respect to the shaft 46 so as not te interfere With the rocking movements of the arm 48 necessary to permit heightwise movements of the leveling roll |4 as it traverses the bottom of the shoe during the leveling operation. It will :be observed that the arm |16 and link |80 form a toggle which is straightened by upward movement of a rod |86 connected to the pin |18 forming the knee of the toggle. When the toggle is thus straightened as shown in Fig. 1, the arm |16 to the right of the slot |14 acts on the pin |12 to prevent clockwise movement of the arm 48 thereby holding the bushing 44 against rearward movement along the shaft 24 and holding the leveling roll I4 in the elevated position shown in Fig. l, against the action of the springs 64, 66. An adjustable stop screw |88, threaded through the frame of the machine, engages the adjacent portion of the arm |84 to adjust its position and that of the toggle whereby the position in which the roll I4 is held when the jack is in its forward position may be varied.

The lower end of the rod |86 is pivoted at |90 to an arm |92 of a bell crank lever |94 pivoted at |96 to a bracket |98. Aspring 200 acts on the arm 92 of the bell crank lever to pull the rod |86 downwardly thereby breaking the toggle and moving the arm |16 into the position shown in Fig. 2. The extent of movement of the parts is limited by the engagement of the rearward end of the arm |92 of the bell crank lever with an adjustable stop screw 204.

In order to move the bell crank lever |94 in a counter-clockwise direction to straighten the toggle, as shown in Fig. 1, an arm 296 of the lever has pivoted thereto a rod 208 having fast thereon a collar 2|0 intermediate the ends of the rod which is `sldably received in a sleeve 2|2. This sleeve is secured by a pin 2|4 to a block 2|6 pivoted on an arm 2|8 secured to the shaft l2. With the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. l, the bell crank lever 206 is held, as shown, by the engagement of the collar 210 with the rearward end of the sleeve 2|2. Upon rearward movement of the shoe -support to carry the shoe beneath the leveling roll the arm 2|8 moves in a clockwise direction which moves the sleeve 2|2 forwardly permitting the rod-208 to move in the same direction under the force exerted by the spring 200 acting on the Abell crank lever |94 thereby moving the parts into the positions shown in Fig. 2. The slot |14 inthe arm |16 is now concentrically disposed with respect to the shaft 46 so that the leveling roll may move vertically in accordance with the contour of the shoe bottom during the leveling operation. Upon completion of the leveling operation and movement of the shoe support back to the position shown in Fig. 1 the sleeve 2| 2 moves rearwardly engaging the Collar 2 0 and turning the bell crank lever |94 in a counterclockwise direction thereby moving the rod |86 upwardly to straighten the toggle links. This action of the arm |16 of the toggle operates through the pin |12 to hold the arm 48 in the position shown thus holding the leveling roll in the elevated position shown in Fig. 1.

The timing of the operation of the toggle |16, is so related to the operation of valves 90, 94 that the toggle modifies the actions of the valves only while the shoe support is in its forward position. The valve 94 is operated by the time in the rearward movement of the support when the toggle is broken, and because the roll is in an elevated position, no lifting of the roll against the 7l action of springs 6.4, 65. is required at this time. and the pressure fluid is able to maintain the roll in its elevated position until the valve. 9D is operated, permitting the roll to be moved by spring pressure into engagement. with the shoe bottom. At the conclusion of the leveling operation, valve 90 operates to cause lifting of the roll, and the toggle HS, 80 is straightened to hold the roll in its elevated position before toggle H10, |02` is broken to operate the pressure regulating valve 9-1 causing fluid from the outlet side of the pump to be by-.passed to the reservoir.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is;

1. In a leveling machine, a shoe support, a leveling roll, means mounting said support for movement in directions lengthwise of a shoe thereon to cause the leveling roll to operate progressively along the shoe bottom, spring means for pressing the leveling roll against the bottom of the shoe, means operative in response to forwardv movement of the shoe support to carry the shoe out of operative relation to the roll or lifting said rollagainst the action of said spring means, and means con.-

trolled by said shoe support for locking the roll in its` elevated position with the shoe support located forwardly of the roll.

2. In a leveling machine, a shoe support,` a leveling roll, means mounting. said support for movement in directions lengthwise: of a shoe thereon to cause the leveling rollto operate pro.- gressively along the shoe bottom, spring means for .pressing the leveling roll against the; bottom of the shoe, means for locking said roll in anelevated position above the shoebottom, means nor-` mally rendering said locking means ineffective, and means operated by said shoe support. upon movement thereof to carry the shoe forward-ly oi the leveling roll for operating said looking means.

3. In a. leveling machine, a shoe. support, a leveling roll, means mounting said support for movement in directions lengthwiseof a shoe thereon to cause the leveling roll to operate progressively7 along the shoe bottom, spring means for pressing the leveling roll against the bottom of the shoe, a toggle, means operated by said toggle when in straightened position for holding said roll in elevated position above the shoe bottom, means operated by said shoesupport. in respense to its movement to carry the shoe; forwardly of said leveling roll for straightening: said toggle, and spring means acting on said'. toggle to break it.

4.11m a levelingI machine, ashoesnpport, leveling roll, means mounting saidsupport. for movement in directions lengthwise of a. shoe thereon to cause the leveling roll to operate progressively along the shoe bottom, spring means for pressing the; leveling roll against the bottom of the shoe,.fluid-pressure.means for lifting the roll against. thev action of said spring means in response to forward movement of the support to carry the shoe out of operative relation to said roll, and means controlled by the shoe support when in its forward position for locking. said roll in the position to which it is moved by the fluid-pressure meansh 5. In a leveling machine, a shoe support, a leveling roll, means mounting said support for movement in directions lengthwise of a shoe thereon to cause the levelingroll to operate. progressively along the shoe bottom, spring means. forpressing the leveling roll against the bottom of the shea'uid-pressure means for lifting the roll against the action of said spring means in response to forwardA movement of the support to carry -the shoe out of operative rela-A tion to said roll, means rrendering said fluidpressure. means ineffective tomaintain the roll in elevated position with the shoe support in its forwardmost position, and means controlled by the shoe support when in its forwardmost position for locking the roll in the position to which it is moved by said fluid-pressure means.

6. In a levelingl machine, a. shoe support, a leveling roll, means mounting said support'for movement in directions. lengthwise of a shoe thereon to causel the leveling roll to operate progressively along the shoe bottom, spring, means for pressing the leveling roll against the bottom of the shoe, fluid-pressure means for lifting the roll against. the action of said spring means in response tov forward. movement of the support to carry the shoev out of operative relation to said roll, a toggle, means operated by said toggle when in straightened position for holding said roll in the. position. to which it is moved by said fluidpressure means, meansy operated by said shoe support. response to its movement to carry the shoe forwardly of said leveling roll for straightening said toggle, and spring means acting on said toggle to break it.

. FRED V. HART.

No references, cited. 

